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How to soothe a sore throat

Along with mystery fevers, headaches and stomach aches, when your kids complain of a sore throat, you need to act. Aside from giving relief from the pain that a sore throat brings, working out why your child is in pain can have you scratching your head.

What is a sore throat?

Sore throats are generally caused by an inflammation of the pharynx, the part of the throat that lies between the mouth and the voice box. This inflammation can be caused by an infection (bacterial or viral) or other causes such as allergies or mouth breathing.

The two most common types of sore throat are:

A razor blade sore throat – Though not a medical term, this type of sore throat is often caused by an infection and is worth a trip to the doctor. A swollen, tender sore throat that feels like swallowing razor blades can be very distressing for children so don’t let this sore throat linger, if only to make them more comfortable.

A dry, scratchy sore throat – This sore throat can come with clicking in the ears when swallowing and this type of sore throat can be a sign of a sinus or ear irritation.

What causes a sore throat?

Sore throats are usually caused by infection – most often a viral infection, particularly in children under the age of two years. While it is always worth getting your GP to look at any illness you are concerned about, a viral infection cannot be beaten with antibiotics, so in most cases, dealing with a sore throat is more about making your patient comfortable while her body fights the viral infection.

The most common causes of a sore throat are:

Tonsillitis – this is an infection or inflammation of the tonsils caused by viral infections, such as glandular fever (also known as Mono), or by bacterial infections such as streptococcal.

Pharyngitis – this infection or inflammation is often confused with tonsillitis but actually refers to the area of the throat that includes the tonsils. Like tonsillitis, pharyngitis can be caused by both viral and bacterial infections.

Post-nasal drip - colds and allergies can cause persistent sore throats because of the excess mucous that collects in the throat. A sore throat that is caused by post-nasal drip is often worse in the morning (after a night of lying down, the mucous can pool in the throat which adds extra irritation) and improves as the day goes on.

Mouth breathing – because the throat is meant to be moist at all times, those who routinely breathe through their mouth often have a sore, scratchy throat as a result of a dry throat.

Symptoms of a sore throat

While you can diagnose your child’s sore throat based on her complaints of pain, looking for other symptoms may help you identify what is causing your child’s sore throat. Look for symptoms such as:

Fever

Headache

Runny nose

Hoarse voice

Red tonsils that might have a thick white exudate (pus) on them

Swollen glands in the neck that can be tender

Mouth ulcers

Rashes on the body

Nausea and/or vomiting

Relieving the pain of a sore throat

It is important to take steps to alleviate the pain of a sore throat so that your child can continue to eat and drink.

Give either paracetamol or Ibuprofen at the recommended dose to relieve the symptoms of a sore throat.

Encourage your child to drink fluids often - if your child is having difficulty swallowing, offer warm (not hot) drinks as these can be soothing to a sore throat as well as being easier to swallow.

Throat sprays are not normally recommend for children, so only use on advice from your health professional.

Throat lozenges are not recommeded for children under the age of 5.

Other ways to ease some of the pain are:

Sucking on hard sweets – for older children only to avoid possible choking

Gargling with warm salt water

Using a humidifier

When to see a doctor about your child’s sore throat

Get your doctor’s advice if your child’s sore throat suddenly becomes worse, or if any of the following symptoms appear: